The Rose
by AtMyWhit'sEnd
Summary: A/G flick between Lioness Rampant and the Immortals series... Alanna is experinencing pre-wedding jitters.... please r/r... 4th chapter up...
1. Alanna

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters, even though I wish I did. Anyway, they belong to Tamora Pierce. Please don't sue me, as I have no money. Thanx.  
  
A/N: My first fanfic… please r/r…. it is set between Lioness Rampant and the Immortals Series….  
  
Alanna paced in the hallways of her rooms. Back and forth, weaving a tireless track through her chambers, the Lady Knight tried to rid herself of the anxiousness that gripped her. She suddenly jumped as a knock sounded on the door. She ran toward it and opened it to welcome the visitor.  
  
"Buri," she cried as the K'miri walked through the door. "Thank goodness you came over, I really needed someone to talk to." She blushed as she said the last line, embarrassed to be caught needing someone to talk to. As she shut the door, Buri walked to a plush chair and sat down.  
  
" I see that you've worn down that carpet to shreds. What's on your mind? I've never seen you this nervous before."  
  
Alanna smiled as she walked over and sat across from her friend. " I don't know why I am so nervous all of a sudden. I think that its because there will be a group of visiting ambassadors tomorrow, from Scanra, and I'm worried for Jon's safety." Buri started to say that the King's Own and the newly formed Queen's Riders would take care of him, when she looked into the knight's eyes.  
  
"Why, you're lying. You're not worried about the king. You're worried about your wedding." For the second time since Buri had come, Alanna found herself blushing.  
  
" I am," she admitted. Then she sighed and went over to the window to watch the pages practice their archery. She stood there in silence until Buri decided to cheer her up.  
  
"Let's go for a walk. The servants said that you haven't left your room since breakfast."  
  
Alanna turned from the window, and was about to disagree when a knock came from the door.  
  
A/n: Who knocked on the door…… anyway, I need five reviews to put up the next chapter… so please r/r… thanx 


	2. Guess Who

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters, so please don't sue… they belong to Tamora Pierce, who is one of the best authors out there…..  
  
  
  
Alanna flung open the door, surprised to see Thayet standing there. She had been hoping to see someone else.  
  
"Thayet," she cried, smiling widely. "I didn't expect to see you. I thought that you would still be writing thank you notes from your wedding."  
  
"My hand still hurts from writing all of those stupid thank you's. All of those nobles and foreign dignitaries gave us presents that they would give anyone else for their wedding, and I still have to write them notes. I suppose that is what I get for agreeing to be Jon's wife. How are you doing? You must be so nervous with your wedding just two weeks away. I think that we should take a walk, don't you?"  
  
"Sure. I need to get out of this room. Should Buri join us?"  
  
"I was hoping that she would come. Do you want to come with us?"  
  
"I'll go as long as you don't start talking about how much in love you are with George. I hear enough about that from Thayet about Jon as it is." Buri ducked as the Queen of Tortall threw a pillow at her. "Stop it! That hurt!" she exclaimed as she threw the pillow back at Thayet.  
  
Alanna cried, "No pillow fights in my room," right as she was brained by Thayet. Soon feathers were flying around the room as the three ladies hit each other with Alanna's couch cushions. They tired after a few minutes and sat down on the floor laughing. (A/n: the pillow fight destroyed the couch cushions, so they couldn't sit on the couch.) A page came in to see what all the noise was, but quickly left after he saw the mess. Alanna saw the retreating figure and burst out laughing again. "I wonder if anyone saw us."  
  
"If they did, I hope that they didn't recognize us. The Queen of Tortall, the head of the Queen's Riders, and the King's Champion braining each other with pillows would be a very interesting sight. And very embarrassing for us," Thayet said.  
  
"Hey, at least we had fun," Buri chipped in. " I think that we should go for that walk now, don't you?"  
  
They set out for their walk around the Palace Gardens. Weaving in and out of the flowers and shrubbery, they discussed what they had been doing since Thayet's wedding.  
  
"Well then we went to Great Southern Desert where I got to meet some of the Bazhir tribes. They really seem to respect Jonathan."  
  
A little later………  
  
Alanna looked up as she heard the bells ringing for three o'clock. "Oh no! I was supposed to be at my dress fitting a half an hour ago," she cried. She turned and raced down the path, leaving Buri and Thayet struggling to catch up.  
  
" And to think that she would be this excited to try on a dress," Buri said to Thayet.  
  
"I know," the queen replied.  
  
When they got to the tailor's, they found Alanna already in her dress. It was beautiful. (A/N: I'm going to save the description for the wedding scene. Sorry!) Thayet and Buri were told to try on their bridesmaid dresses as well.  
  
"Only for you would I ever put on a dress," Buri complained as she came out of the dressing room.  
  
Just then, clapping came from the back of the store. All three women whirled around to see who was there.  
  
"George!"  
  
A/n: sorry for all of the author's notes in there. I promise never to do that again. Thank you to those who have reviewed. I will not make a required number of reviews for the next chapter, but please review if you have any advice, comments, or questions. Thank you so much…. Princess Salmalin  
  
Lady Knight of K: thanks for all of your help… I never would have done this if you hadn't kept telling me too! U are one of the greatest friends ever….. 


	3. Thayet!

Disclaimer: Of course one of these stories wouldn't be complete w/out its lovely disclaimer. Anyway, the characters belong to Tamora Pierce, as does the setting. I just came up with the dialogue. So don't sue and please r/r! Enjoy….  
  
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As Alanna and her friends spun around to see who it was, their admirers began to laugh.  
  
"George!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"You're not the only one who has to have clothes made for this weddin'. I decided that I had better come down with my friends to get our final fitting done. "  
  
Alanna looked around and saw not only Marek and Coram, but Jon, Myles, Gary, and Raoul as well. All seven of them were wearing the same outfit- black breeches with a lavender tunic that was the color of Alanna's eyes.  
  
"You all look lovely. Now if you will excuse us, Thayet, Buri, and I have some things to do." Alanna walked hurriedly to the dressing room, embarrassed to be seen by so many people in her wedding dress before her wedding day. As she reached the changing section, she whispered to Thayet, "I hope that no one besides them saw us. I was kind of hoping that my dress would be a surprise to everyone."  
  
" I'm sure it will be. Now stop fussing and get changed. We have a lot of work to do," replied the queen.  
  
"Do we really? I was just making that up as an excuse to get out of there. What are you going to make me do?" the Lady Knight whined.  
  
Thayet just gave an evil giggle as she went into her stall to change back into her everyday clothes.  
  
The three changed quickly and made their way back to the front of the store. By that time, George and his friends had already left. Right as they were about to leave the shop, Buri pulled the ribbon out of Alanna's hair.  
  
"You little brat," Alanna screamed, as she ran around the courtyard, chasing Buri, trying to get her blue hair ribbon back. "Give it back to me now, before I am forced to practice my fencing skills on you." Buri just kept running until she was out of the courtyard.  
  
"Anyway," said Thayet sarcastically, " I think that is enough fun for one day. What do you say to starting on the seating arrangement?"  
  
"Thayet," Alanna whined, "Don't make me do it. Please, I'll do anything. Just don't make me do the seating chart. You know that I am not good at that type of thing. I'll probably end up putting one of the Tusaine nobles next to Raoul or Gary. (A/n: couldn't think of a worse combination at the moment.) That would end up in disaster."  
  
"Fine," sighed Thayet. "I guess that it can wait until tomorrow. It's almost five o'clock anyway. We'd never get it done tonight. I think that we should go back up to your rooms and talk. I haven't had that much time to gossip since I've been back from my honeymoon. So, what's been going on in the palace…."  
  
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A/N: So, how'd you like? I know that it took me a little while to put up this new chapter, but now it is up for you to read and review. I'd like to thank everyone who has reviewed so far ( LkoK, Arram Salmalin, Gaia, etc….) Thank you… Also, any ideas for future chapters would be welcome as well as any constructive (hear me: CONSTRUCTIVE) critisim would be welcome… not that I've gotten any bad criticism yet… oh LkoK, u should recognize a part in here… and I'm just rambling, so I'm going to shut-up now…  
  
- Princess Salmalin 


	4. L'amour

A/N: Sorry it took so long to put up a new chapter….Things just kept coming and coming and coming….Tests, projects, tests, projects, and even more tests. I cannot wait until this school year is over….. Anyway, back to the story:  
  
Disclaimer: Characters don't belong to me… Never have, never will  
  
* *= thoughts,  
  
Alanna and Thayet were walking around the Palace gardens, going over the gossip that Thayet had missed while she was on her honey moon with Jon.  
  
"So then the maid walked in," said Alanna.  
  
"No way!" said Thayet.  
  
"I'm serious. I swear that I'm telling the truth."  
  
"I can't believe that really happened. I would have been so freaked out. Just imagine walking into a room and seeing two of the same person. I think that these new simucralms are much too realistic, and I don't like them at all," exclaimed the queen.  
  
" I totally agree with you."  
  
Just then the bells began to toll, sounding the time of seven in the evening. Alanna, for the second time that day, was caught unawares by the bells. She turned to Thayet, to tell her that she had to leave, but found that she had already started to run in the opposite direction. *Seems like I'm not the only one who forgot the time. I wonder what she's late for.*  
  
Chuckling, Alanna began to walk back to her suite of rooms. She had planned to meet George at 7:30, and needed to get ready. She didn't know what they were going to do, but any time they could get together was wonderful for her. George was busy all the time getting Pirate's Swoop ready for her. He was also doing his job for the King: cautiously spying on potential problem areas. She was doing her job protecting the King and his kingdom. And that was besides the mounds of paperwork that she had to sign for Jon. They had very little time to spend with each other, so she was grateful when their busy schedules allowed for them to be together.  
  
By this time Alanna had made it back to her rooms. She sighed as she opened the door, wondering what she was going to wear that night. Suddenly a shower of rose petals descended on her from above the door way. Red, white, and pink petals floated gently down to the floor, some falling onto her hair, others into her outstretched palm.  
  
Alanna looked around the room to see if her fiancé had left her any other surprises. A flash of white caught her eye. A single white rose lay on her dressing table. "Just another reminder of my love." The note was in George's sprawling hand. The surprised Lady Knight picked the rose up to smell its lovely fragrance. As she picked it up, the petals dropped off one by one. Alanna scrambled around the room, trying to pick up the delicate petals. She stopped when she saw a small white box in the center of the blossom. Hesitantly opening it, Alanna gasped when she saw what it contained. Nestled in the tiny velvet box was a pair of pearl earrings. Not black pearls like the ones Myles had given her before she came back to court, but a deep, creamy ivory color. "How gorgeous!" she whispered.  
  
She hurriedly dressed in a dress that she knew to be one of George's favorites. Running a brush through her hair, she brought it up into a tight bun. She brushed on a tiny amount of make up and made her way out the door. As she rushed down the stairs to meet her fiancé, she tried to tug on her slippers. Finally ready, she pushed open the door and tried to walk elegantly out into the courtyard. Unfortunately, she didn't see a small rock in her way and tripped over it. A pair of strong arms quickly caught her and kept her from hitting the ground.  
  
"Haven't had to do that in a while."  
  
A/N: I know, somewhat of a short chapter… Romance, you gotta love it! (J/K)  
  
Anyway,I've had writer's block for the past three weeks, and I think that it is still there…. Oh well… I hope you enjoyed this segment, and I will try to post more as soon as I think of something new to write about!  
  
Lady Cythrea 


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